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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28338411">bitter/sweet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaguol/pseuds/kontj'>kontj (kaguol)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Cheating, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Regret</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:14:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,818</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28338411</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaguol/pseuds/kontj</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>he was candy - temptation and passion rolled into a sweet package. good for the lips with his fiery kisses, but bad for the heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. candy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>Akaashi Keiji, in all sense of the word, was candy.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>In his youth, he wore a face of indifference that didn’t deter the flocks of people to ogle at his physique. He was lean and muscular at the same time – with more angles than curves, with severe eyes that seemed to pierce through your very soul.</p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He wore the mask of level-headedness and donned a calm demeanor, yet was quick to flip the switch as he teased the crowd when he lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face, fast enough to leave them hanging.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was easy on the eyes, and would leave you with a hungry feeling in your mouth with a mere conversation.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It may have been blissful ignorance, or youthful naiveté, but you let yourself be drawn into his radar. You picked up the sweet scent of his perfume and followed it to your demise. You clung onto every word that fell from his lips, savoring the tiniest morsels he gave.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He was a honeypot that promised only heartache, but you didn’t care.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You fell in love with him anyway.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And you kept on falling for him, way after he had promised himself to you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>How could you not, when he tasted like heaven on your tongue, his calloused hands pinning you against the wall for support, his name a sinful prayer on your lips that you sang all through the night.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>How could you not, when his eyes lit up in delight as he stared at the slightly lopsided cake you baked for his birthday, and scarfed it all down, even going as far as to lick away the stray icing at the corner of your lips.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>How could you not, when he held you tight, the two of you swaying in your messy apartment in the middle of the night, with the ballad of your heartstrings and a long-dead musician playing in the background, as though you were the only thing that mattered.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I love you,” he said.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You believed him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And you continued to do so even when something shifted. You shook your head at the thought that crept into your mind, what once was a tiny uncertain whisper, now a loud shriek of distrust, as he cancelled yet another date.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You made excuses, more so for your sake rather than his, as you sat on your bed, staring into the mirror at the outfit that you had picked out – an ensemble that you knew would fuel his hungry eyes and wandering hands. And, if he drew closely, he would make out his own sweet scent on your neck.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The window began to sing, as raindrops fell against it., snapping you out of your thoughts. The weather was probably a sign of the heavens to drop it, to take off your shoes and curl up into bed and wait for him to come home, to burrow into his old shirt and wish for his arms around you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But you were tired of waiting.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Amidst the rain, you caught a cab, and burned through your wallet to stop by the café and back to his office building. If you couldn’t take him out on a date, then you’ll bring the date to him.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>With warm pastries in the paper bag in one hand, and two hot drinks in another, you made your way to the entrance, smiling at the desk clerk who waved you in.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You couldn’t contain your excitement, as you thought of seeing him smile over what you brought. There was probably enough for his old volleyball team – and probably twice as much sugar. He loved sweets after all, and had even a bigger sweet tooth than you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You rounded the corner on his floor, felt bile rise to your throat. For, lo and behold, there he was, your beloved Akaashi, with eyes closed and tongue deep into someone else’s mouth, her dress leaving nothing to be imagined.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>As he bit down on her neck, you felt your candy heart crack into pieces. As he moaned her name, his voice rough and dripping with honey, what you held came crashing onto the tiled floors. His eyes flashed with anger at the rude interruption, before his eyes found yours.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>What came next was a series of leaving.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You left the pastries on the floor of the office, in front of the man who had his hand on his coworker’s ass in front of you.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You left the apartment you shared, with nothing but a spare change of clothes, your wallet, and passport.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>You left the prefecture altogether, and it would be years before you’d return.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But even as you boarded the plane, you wished, with every part of you, that you could leave behind the taste of Akaashi Keiji on your tongue.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>What once had been saccharine ecstasy, was now nothing but the bitter taste of five years going down the drain, with a side of vicious betrayal.</p>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. sugarcoated</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="">
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>Sweat beaded on Akaashi’s body, his hair sticking to his face in odd angles. A body flopped beside him, a sigh escaping the person’s lips. He hears the click of a lighter, and soon the humid air is tinged with earthy smoke.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“You’d think that you’d learn my name by now.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Akaashi huffs, a dry laugh escaping his lips. He holds out his hand, accepting the blunt and taking a slow drag. The room is quiet as the two let their bodies relax.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“What were they like?”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>The raven-haired writer quirked an eyebrow, eyes glued to the ceiling. He knows all too well who they mean, but he wanted to hear your name once more.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Y/N.”</p>
  </div>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Your name tasted like sunrise and promises kept. He remembered every smile you threw his way, each one filled with as much sincerity as a person could. Akaashi was drawn to you, naturally, as you spoke in a way that he didn’t let himself.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Out of your mouth came harsh realities, yet you never delivered them with malice. The truth came from your heart, accompanied by the delicate pastries that you always brought along, as well as the warmth of your arms.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Coffee,” Akaashi finally answered, settling on the stupid analogy the two of you shared.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <hr/>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>“If you were a kind of food, what would you be?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Akaashi’s heart pounded in his chest, the sound of your voice so close – even in the distance that separated your houses. If he cared enough for school, he’d roll over and find that it’s a quarter until three, and that the two of you had been talking for almost the entirety of the night.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He didn’t mind. Not when your sleepy voice was the only thing that filled his mind, the image of you lying in bed. Were you thinking of him as he was of you?</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I think you’d be candy, Keiji,” you mumbled, his name on your lips heavenly even through his earbuds. He laughs, a low rumbling that sent your heart aflutter. “Want a taste?”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p><em>Yes</em>, you think, but you scoff, rolling to the other side of the bed. He amends, prompting you to explain. “You’re… sweet.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Akaashi’s heart hardened, and his jaw twitched. He didn’t like being called sweet – a sweetheart, a sweet boy, so kind so thoughtful so –</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“On the outside, that is.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A startled sound wrenched its way from his throat, and you laughed. “You are though. You act all nice and sweet for everyone, being the perfect gentleman, keeping the team in check, smiling and nodding – it’s <em>you</em>, but a very…”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>His breath hitches, and he doesn’t know if his heart could even beat even faster. “Sugarcoated version of it,” you finished, your eyes barely open.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Very sweet outer shell with a cranky, evil, sourman center.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The setter couldn’t hold back his laugh, your drowsy chuckle adding fuel to the fire. Never in his life had he felt this seen. He thought he perfected the mask – and yet here you were, tearing years of his façade down with your sleep-laced voice and observant eyes. Part of him was afraid, offended, at the insinuation that you thought him not as what he presented himself. But the bigger part of him was intrigued, amused, and very much validated.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Your turn,” you mumble, pressing the back of your palm to stifle your yawn. He stopped for a second, before the image of tomorrow – or in this case today’s – breakfast flashing into his mind.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Coffee.” Akaashi’s mouth split into a grin, hearing your breathing taper off into a steady rhythm after you hum your assent. Had you been awake enough, you would’ve asked, and he would’ve told you. But for now, he kept his reasoning to himself.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <hr/>
</div><div class="">
  <p> </p>
  <p>“They were exactly what they told people they’d be. Honest, but never cruel – the truth coming from them enough to wake you up from whatever rose-tinted dream you locked yourself in,” he rambled, the memory slowly fading away. “They’d change a bit, add a little milk and cream with certain people, but,” he pauses, remembering the way the sun reflected from your eyes when you met him on the rooftop that fateful afternoon.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“At the end of the day, they’re… just coffee.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Deafening silence followed, as his companion’s question lingers in the air. It was clear that what the two of you had was special – and that even now, he was still hung up on it.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Every single shadow that passes him reminds him of your silhouette, his head quickly whipping to the side as soon as he catches a glimpse of the same hairstyle.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Every kiss tasted like bland wafers, yet with enough booze in his blood and pot in his system, they’ll blur together until he was chasing the honeyed taste of your lips. The pulsing lights of the club made the person in front of him look a little more like you, and when he closed his eyes, he could pretend that he’s touching you again.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Why.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The question rings in his ears. A question that had been a slap to his face ever since you left.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Why, asked Bokuto’s eyes, filled with horror and repulsion when Akaashi told him what had happened.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Why, asked the many dates, after a night of faux pleasure that ended up with a broken heart and a numb chest.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Why, asked the man in the mirror, looking more disheveled and worn down.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>I don’t know – <em>liar</em>.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It was just a mistake – <em>was it?</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>It never meant anything – <em>does that change anything?</em></p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Broke their heart by shoving my tongue down an intern’s throat.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Akaash’s voice cracks, even as he tries to play it off with a chuckle. His companion shoots him a disgusted look, gathering their things with lightning speed, bolting out the door not a second later.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The hard candy shell cracks, and Akaashi Keiji is left alone with nothing but the bitter taste of his own desecration.</p>
</div>
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